Running a Plex or Jellyfin server requires a machine with specific requirements to ensure smooth playback and streaming of media content. These requirements can vary depending on many factors such as the number of users accessing the server and the quality of the media being streamed.
Below the list of things to consider when you pick a server followed by some product recommendations.
TL;DR My recommendation is to get a mini-PC because it’s a perfect balance between power-consumption, performance and size. Intel NUCs are the best but a cheaper Beelink are great options as well depending on your budget.
Processor – CPU, GPU and iGPU
Plex and Jellyfin both use transcoding to optimize media playback for different devices (= real-time conversion from one format or resolution to another), a more powerful processor can handle this process more efficiently.
Transcoding can be software, or hardware, with software transcoding using the server’s CPU for slower but higher quality, and hardware transcoding using dedicated hardware like iGPU or GPU for faster and more efficient conversion.
Recommendation: Intel iGPU with QuickSync offers the most cost-effective solution with good quality and low power consumption.
NVIDIA GPUs provide the highest quality and fastest performance but come at an additional cost, especially if you intend to use a mini-PC, you will need an external GPU enclosure.
AMD’s hardware transcoding is also available for both Plex (since June 2023) and Jellyfin.
Apple M1/M2 also supports hardware transcoding but are more pricey solutions.
RAM and Storage
A minimum of 4GB of RAM is required for smooth streaming of media content. However, for larger libraries or multiple users, it is recommended to have at least 8GB of RAM to ensure optimal performance. RAM is cheap, go big (16GB) and never look back.
The storage depends on the size of your media library. A single movie can easily take up to 4GB of storage space, I recommend 1 TB SSD minimum.
Network Connection
A stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth is crucial for streaming media content to multiple devices. A minimum of 10 Mbps upload speed is recommended for HD streaming. Ideally, your machine will be connected to your router via ethernet to minimize the loss and ensure the stability of the stream.
Device – Desktop PC, mini-PC or NAS
Considering that your server is running 24/7, there are several important points to pay attention to.
- Power consumption: mini-PCs are the most efficient machines, especially when compared to more powerful desktop computers.
- Noise: it’s a good idea to check the noise of the machine you’re buying, you don’t want your movie night to be ruined by the inelegant buzzing of your device fan. It’s obviously less important if your server is in your closet or garage.
- Size: Again, it depends on where your device will sit, but I’ll assume not too far from your TV, and you probably want something as small as possible.
Recommendations: if you only need a server, my suggestion is a mini-PC. It’s the most cost-effective, with low power consumption and they are generally small and silent. If you’re in the market for a gaming PC anyway, you might want to take the desktop route knowing it will cost you way more in electricity and hardware.
Alternatively, you can use a NAS as long as it’s equipped with an Intel CPU with QuickSync, but it’s not my recommendation because of its size and lesser performance.
Why not a Raspberry Pi? As much as I love the Pi, they are not enough to host a Plex or Jellyfin server. It’s technically possible for Plex but won’t provide the greatest results and can’t be recommended. For Jellyfin, there are no Pi version available.
Product Selection
You can’t go wrong with either of those.
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